...Haren is so valuable that the A's -- a contending team that just lost
their ace to free agency -- [they] shouldn't opt to trade him, I would be
stunned if a deal actually went through. It just doesn't make enough
sense for the A's unless they greatly overvalue Lastings Milledge and
Aaron Heilman ...
it's best for fans not to get their hopes up too high. These are two
smart teams, and neither is likely to make a deal that doesn't make
sense. At least the Mets are rich enough to pay Barry Zito, who may not
be any better than Haren but costs nothing more than money.

Sad, but true. But all is not lost. What about finding a less astute GM than Oakland's Billy Beane and poaching him instead? What about the Orioles and Jim "Scott Kazmir-for-Zambrano" Duquette? Maybe he'd part with Erik Bedard, a similar, durable pitcher, for a reasonable package?